5 Beneficiaries of Hurricane Sandy

We know from previous experience how natural disasters can affect certain sectors of society differently. The rich get by, the poor suffer enormously; small businesses and restaurants can be seriously hurt even without being physically damaged. The culture industry is especially vulnerable, as displacement, transportation issues and a lack of tourism decimates its audience.

And yet, some businesses and some groups of people thrive. It seems inappropriate to call them winners, but the impact of the hurricane for some is, well, different. Statistics are slow to emerge, and it's not yet clear how the storm affects, say, grocery stores, whose shelves were cleaned out on Sunday, or coffee shops, which seem to be the busiest places in Manhattan right now. But things are looking pretty good for restaurants north of the black-out zone and pay phones within.